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Gallinula chloropus
Also known as: Common Moorhen
Basic stats
Diet
Aquatic plants, seeds, insects, small invertebrates
Habitat
Ponds, marshes, wetland edges
Range
Widespread across Africa, Europe, Asia, Americas
Clutch size
5–8 eggs
Incubation period
About 19–22 days
Size
Medium (30–38cm)
Wingspan
~50–55cm
Weight
~250–400g
A dark, slate-grey waterbird with a red bill tipped yellow and a red frontal shield, swimming with a jerky bobbing motion across ponds and marshes.
One of the most widespread rails in the world, it swims and walks with equal ease, often seen picking food from the water's surface or foraging along muddy banks.
